For those who would like to some research or reading up on ornamental and rose engine turning, here is a website that can keep you busy for a long time. Be sure to take a look at the websites of some the OT (ornamental turning) artists.
http://ornamentalturning.net/Ornamental and rose engine turning really came into its own in the late 1700's when ornamental lathes were made for the rich aristocracy and royalty who wanted a creative hobby. The most well known ornamental lathe maker, John Jacob Holtzapaffel, left France in 1785 and set up shop in 1794 in London, England. The last Holtzapaffel lathe was manufactured in 1913. Only in the last 10 years or so have there been new makers of ornamental and rose engine lathes, and then they only make them on a custom order basis. Famous ornamental turners reads like a Who's Who of the royalty Russia, France, Austria, Denmark and England of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Even in recent years, only those with very deep pockets were able to pursue the art by means of finding and refurbishing an antique
Holtzapaffel or Evans lathe, and most of these were in England. But the art is being revived by a few who have made their own lathes and there a couple of firms who are custom making rose engines at "relatively speaking" reasonable prices. However, like any other lathe, all the additional tooling adds up very quickly and in the case of these machines, the tooling is very specialized as well.
Thanks for all your honest opinions, and remember....keep looking and let it grow on ya, and then let me know what you think too. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but that is determined partly by what we are accustomed to.
Thanks again,
Danny
PS. The basketweave (the center section of the trumpet body) is not really appreciated unless it is in hand. When the call is turned in the light, the curves of the cuts reflect the light so that it shimmers, or really more like light is reflected off of the facets of a cut diamond.
